Owen City

Owen City

Owen is one of the newer villages in Clark County, but is one of the most thriving, and as the center of extensive logging operations being carried on in the counties to the north has wonderful possibilities of future development and prosperity. It is an important railroad junction point, as the Fairchild & Northeastern has its terminal here, and the "Soo" line extends in four different directions, Three or four hundred square miles of the richest farming country are tributary to the village, and it is noted as a shipping point for stock and farm produce, as well as for its lumbering interests.

There has been a steady and conservative growth, the demand for houses always exceeding the supply, although the company and private individuals have kept busy building ever since the town was started. The village has an electric light plant (operated by the J. S. Owen Lumber Company) and water works and a sewer system. Besides the sawmill and box factory, which employ about 300 men, there is a large pea canning factory, with a capacity of 30,000 cases, a potato warehouse and elevator and teed mill, four hotels, four general stores, a bakery, butcher shop, tailor shop, jewelry store, two hardware stores, three barber shops, a shoe store and harness shop, one moving picture theatre, a bottling works, a thriving bank and a newspaper, besides several saloons, and a local telephone. The Woodland Hotel, owned by the Owen Company, is probably one of the best hotels in Wisconsin for a town the size of Owen, being built of stone and brick, with twenty-four transient rooms and all modern equipment. A Commercial Club, officered by some of the leading citizens, is active in advancing the general interests of the community.

Owen was named after the family of that name which first, as a part of the Rust-Owen Lumber Company, and later as the J. S. Owen Lumber Co., have operated extensively as loggers and lumbermen throughout the west and in Wisconsin. The site was selected on account of the wealth of timber, the Popple River, the unusual favorable lay of the land and the extremely rich fertile soil, the intention of the promoters not being to strip the timber from the ground and leave nothing but piles of slashings as a menace to the future, as the early loggers had done a generation before, but rather to cut what they could use each season, and bring in settlers to clear this newly cutover land and develop fertile farms where the timber had stood only a few years ago. And in this they have been very successful, an average of 200 families a year locating around Owen and taking up small tracts to make farms. They are a hardworking, thrifty lot and the success with which they change the aspect of the country from that of a stumpy wilderness to that of smiling farmsteads and the evidences of prosperity which follow almost immediately after they start in, is a revelation even to those who know this country best.

In 1893 W. G. Royer came to what is now the village of Owen in the interests of the Owen Lumber Co., and started the J. S. Owen Mill. There was at that time no village, though the main line of the Wisconsin Railway, now known as the "Soo," had been built through in 1880. There were, however, a warehouse and a boarding-house, which had been erected by D. J. Spaulding, and five log buildings used by an old logging contractor. The first store building was put up and operated by the J. 8. Owen Lumber Co., and was started on account of the lumber industry. J. S. Owen, after whom the village was named, purchased of D, J. Spaulding, in 1893, 30,000 acres of land, and when the mill was started, two mills, one in Unity and one located a mile and a half west of Withee, were united in the Owen plant. The company conducted its early logging operations with sleds. Now they own and operate for logging purposes twenty-five miles of railroad in Clark and Taylor counties, and employ about 300 men. They are extensively engaged in the manufacture of lumber and box shooks, the timber, which is hardwood, being secured in Taylor and Rusk counties. The capacity of the plant has been increased from 5,000 to 15,000,000 feet. That this great development was unexpected even by the members of the company is shown by a little incident which occurred soon after Mr. Royer's arrival. When Mr. Royer began logging operations he found so little cleared space that a log sled could hardly turn around, so he decided one day to pull out a lot of stumps to make more room. He accordingly put ten or twelve men at this work, and was thus engaged when Mr. Owen came along and asked him what he was doing. On being informed Mr. Owen said: "Don't put any more time on that, for we will not be here more than five or six years, and I don't want to leave any croquet grounds when we go away." That was fifteen years ago, but the company are still engaged in logging and lumbering operations and have enough timber in sight to last twelve years. The company also does an extensive land business. The present officers are: John S. Owen, president and treasurer; Aloney R. Owen, vice president and manager; Edward A. Owen, second vice president; John G. Owen, secretary, and Gunder E. Anderson, assistant secretary and treasurer.

On Aug. 18, 1904, a census of the village of Owen was taken by G. E, Anderson and showed a population of 315. A survey having been made by C. S. Stockwell, application was made Aug. 19, 1904, for the right of incorporation, the petition being signed by C. M. Hall, F. C. Griffin, Florence B. Owen, Edward A. Owen, G. E. Anderson and Peter Buhl. The petition was granted Oct. 8, the same year, and on Nov. 9, at the K. O. T. M. Hall an election was held to decide the question, the judges and inspectors being J. T. Hughes, G. F, Bolman and F. C. Griffin. The vote of sixty-seven was unanimous, not a negative vote being cast, and the village was duly organized. The first election was held in Owen, April 4, 1905, fifty-two votes being cast and the following officers elected: C. M. Hall, president ; W. G. Royer, supervisor; trustees - F. C, Griffin, A. G. Johnson, William Fox, A. D. Knight; clerk, F. L. Earl; treasurer, BE. A. Owen; assessor, G. F. Balman; justice, J. P. Weirick; constable, Walter Williams. The first meeting of the board was held in the schoolhouse, April 11, 1905,

The first school was built in Owen in 1894, and had two grades, another grade being added in 1895. The original building was in use until 1907, when the new high school building was erected, consisting of two stories and basement and containing eight rooms, with gymnasium. It is heated with steam, hot and cold water being convenient, and there is also a library. There are six grades, together with a full high school course. Mrs. D. H. Barber was the first teacher. There are now seven teachers, and the principal, Carl Johnson.

An important addition to the educational facilities of the village of Owen is a public library now containing 1,441 volumes, which was established June 15, 1915, by the Women's Community Club and is now supported by the village. The president of the library board is P. J. Abler, his associates being Mrs. Stella Kyes, vice president; L. B. Chabot, secretary; W. G. Royer, treasurer, and Mrs. B. R. Anderson, librarian.

For several years after Owen was started mail and supplies were hauled from Withee. The Owen post office was established in 1895 in the office of the John S. Owen Lumber Co. A. R. Owen was the first postmaster, being appointed in 1895 or 1896. He served until about 1905 or 1906, when Thomas H. Wylie was appointed to succeed him. Mr. Wylie served until Noy. 1, 1913, when he was succeeded by Franklin C, Watson, the present incumbent of the office. Mr. Wylie was the first postmaster appointed by the President, the date of his appointment being May 5, 1909, Mr. Watson, his successor, received his first presidential appointment Oct. 4, 1915, being reappointed Jan. 24, 1918. The post office was removed from the office of the lumber company on the West Side to the East Side in 1905. It has since been removed from one building to another several times, always, however, remaining on the East Side. Owen became a money order office Aug. 25, 1909, and a postal savings office April 12, 1912. On July 1, 1909, the first rural route was established, with Fay E. McCray carrier, who is still serving. The second rural route was established May 1, 1916, Albert Gilman being the first temporary carrier. Fred L. Earl was appointed first regular carrier June 19, 1916, and is still serving. The office at Bright, on Route 1, has been discontinued.

The Owen Canning Factory was started in 1913 and now has an output of 40,000 cases a season of peas, beets, beet greens and kraut. The company employs 100 hands and has two viner stations, one at Longwood and another at Bright. The officers are: G. E. Anderson, president; W. C. Tufts, vice president; P. F. Crawley, secretary, and E. A. Owen, treasurer.